Fair-lead



Jan. 19, 1954 R. c. SHOEMAKER FAIR-LEAD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 9, 1950 7- TUF /VE R E T Q W. E Mr m m Jan. 19, 1954 R. c. SHOEMAKER FAIR-LEAD 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1950 //\/z/ 7177? ROBERT C. SHOEMAKER fl T'FU /VE Jan. 19, 1954 R. c. SHOEMAKER FAIR-LEAD 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 9, 1950 //\/Z/E/\/ 717R ROBERT C.5HOEMAKER Jan. 19, 1954 'R. c. SHOEMAKER FAIR-LEAD 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 9, 1950 Patented Jan. 19, 1954 EPATENT OFFICE Robert C. Shoemake Portiand, 0reg., assignor t0 Hyster Cox'npqni-Pogtlgnci, greg a corpora:

non of Oregon" icgg p 9 0 1 9, 1950, Serial No. 200,035

5 Cla inis (01.212-70) iiiew for them a suo johe mm wheel of" mann ouflof nietrue iilerti'oal, adjustable means lre provided for baoke 1 t we he" m 320st} (if we b tip is on t li i i onn t ei fqta cen jr'p th i ai -lee ii fi ifi i 'onteiofthe'hullwheel" nd ythu sibe aol st (t n roximeiel r eql m 'qf in? Y.

F e present p ose,'it his type of opnstrncftiiisfxig in 01 16 tam-lemma sa par t at Cerf ma sebl's wil e' Qi i ni 7 m th san j lnd in ;a pos' ion to'eg'ger'te turning mo nent jq'n pige iaiifleid; Un nar tensions' in cable's p ssp ea o o nqjsi i 9 fAn object of ipheinvention isi; ead t' bt n or manu e "m po iv imea i to k en giireotedig'owarfijthe o fine he iq we 0 s 'moi nte'd on the fi e iennifb d sea d exactly 11 lead constrnotion haying sheaves for a plurality of gables coining 'intothe fair-lead'approximately on its axis of rotation and leaving the fa'ii' lead a1; angles to said axis in the'direotions'of iplhe b qnibs a mm Another object isto provide a fair-lead mount info rotaliion about an axis-end having a; oable openiing for aj'plufality of cables confine into saiid fair-lead approximately on "said uk is'; Anojchep object, is to prfovidea' rotatable 'faii leawconstruction fof handlinga, pluif'all'iiay of copies from o tble d'r irns -onsheeves onfsiqat m-yage so as to maintain the Various-gables o of"conta twvith each otherihi ongh a wide ng Another objeot is to pio'vide a. masthead fair lead ino'uniied for rotation in rollers on a) roller piefqform, wherein the 'platfo'rmhas afcenpral :cab'1e o pen'ing beneafih the fair lead' for r'eoeivmy ofo bles approximately on iihe 2.2115 ofTQtatiOn'." "lfino thei objeci; is to provide a fair-lead. roiaigab l y mounted on aiinafsthead so as' to be 'oapw "of r mix/mg a phn ahtybf vertical eablesfsifloislijantiajlii an the akisof rot'atidn of'the'faiidead, rid fietiirning' at least one "of said cable's awni'vgaidi in e, n earyertioal direction.

pyqxir nageiy on the axi's'ofi dtation o'f the afandl rneans on the oa riei adapted for "atfit to a'i'oi ane boom and thelilge to jot eaves towaiil said booinf anti ofiher bb ofs are accomplished in ionwhioh will nowh'e describedirith i h ni e 'i fi iwi i es 111: on fiotion'isshpwn and'qesorihed or 0 0 v. .0 mb d' i e 'puipo'se'of limiting file invention. sifiioiion g aiarr ang 'hdsfi ki fi i i e2? scope of the appended claims. i

' the drawings:

Figure 1 is aifragmentary perspective iview of a tractor niounted- 'orne equipped with a mastihafifair-lead embodying the p'rinoiples of the l eYniiQ F rg w Per pe ti viewe i v ir i ee blocks 28 and 29. nected with a line or link 30 for supporting the Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a force diagram showing the forces acting on the fair-lead carrier to turn it in the direction of the boom;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view showing a modified form of fair-lead, taken approximately on the line 8-5 in Figure 11;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the single bearing construction of the fair-lead;

Figure 10 is a view taken on the line Ill-4i of Figure s with the sheaves omitted;

} Figure 11 is a rear elevation view of the fairlead with parts shown in section; and

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a sheave pin retaining block or keeper.

In Figures 1 and 3 there is shown the rear portion of a tractor l0 having crawler traction units H and drivers seat [2, the tractor having mounted thereon a removable crane structure embodying various novel features disclosed and claimed in m copending applications entitled Tractor Mounted Crane Mast and Backstay System, Serial No. 626,113, filed November 1, 1945 (now Patent No. 2,564,929, issued August 21, 1951), Crane Boom Assembly, Serial No. 626,114, filed November 1, 1945, now Patent No. 2,595,896, issued May 6, 1952, and Tractor Mounted Crane, Serial No. 626,115, filed November 1, 1945, now Patent No. 2,595,897, issued May 6, 1952.

For mounting the crane as accessory equipment, the tractor carries at its rear end closely adjacent its rigid supporting axle a semi-permanent mounting bracket l3 having a pair of upstanding arms l4. Removably secured on the lower part of the mounting bracket [3 in driving relation with a power take-off gear from the tractor is a hoist unit l5 carrying a, revolving bull wheel IE on a plurality of rollers H. A boom I8 is pivotally supported on the bull wheel by means of heel pins 19 so that the boom can be raised and. lowered through a vertical angle and swung on the bull wheel through a horizontal angle of approximately 240 degrees.

An A-frame mast 20 is pivotally mounted at its base on heel pins 2| in the upper ends of the arms l4 of the mounting bracket, and secured at its upper end by means of adjustable backstay struts 22. The crane is shown rigged for use with a dragline scraper having a scraper line 25 directed through a sheave 24 associated with fair-lead rollers 23 on the heel section of the boom. The numeral 21 designates a haul-back line for the scraper, and the numeral 26 desige nates a, boom suspension line which is trained around sheaves in a pair of boom suspension The block 28 is directly contip of the boom, and is equipped with a guide 3| for the line 21. l.

The present invention is concerned withthe construction of a novel masthead fair-lead for handling the three lines 25, 26 and 21, to operate the scraper and to raise and lower the boom from a relatively stationary masthead structure 32 while at the same time permitting the swinging of the boom through a wide horizontal angle. When the crane is rigged and set up for operation in this manner the backstay struts 22 are adjusted so that the three cables 25, 26 and 21 are directed from the masthead 32 approximately vertically downwardly to the center of the bull Wheel iii. The bull wheel has a central cable opening 33 through which the cables pass to winches or sheaves (not shown) in the hoist unit in the approximate side by side relation shown in the drawings whereby they are grouped closely about the axis of rotation of the bull wheel. The boom actually revolves about an axis approximately coincident with the central cable 26, and it is the function of the masthead fair-lead to rotate with the boom so as to direct the various cables outwardly toward the boom and to lead them downwardly from a point remote from the hoist unit for proper spooling on the winch drums, and to keep them free and clear of each other.

In the present embodiment the masthead 32 comprises a rearwar'dly extending top arm 35 having a vertical bearing 36, and a supporting base in the form of a circular roller platform 31 directly therebeneath. The roller platform has a central cable opening 38 and a plurality of rollers 32 arranged in a circle therearound concentric with the axis of the bearing 36. The movable part of the fair-lead comprises a carrier housing 46 having a vertical journal or trunnion 4i rotatable in the bearing 3 8 and a circular bottom plate 42 rotatable in the circle of rollers 39. Each of the rollers is preferably mounted on an eccentric stub axle or shaft 41 on a bolt 48 secured to the roller platform as shown in Figure 6 to provide sufiicient adjustability for the free turning of the carrier 40. Mounted in the carrier 49 is a shaft or axle 43 on which are three independently rotatable sheaves 44, 45 and 46 for the three cables. The sheave size and shaft position are selected so that the vertical reach of the central cable 26 will be disposed on the axis of rotation of the carrier 45, and so that the outer reach of the cable 25 may be directed downwardly from the sheave 44 over the edge of the roller platform 31 to the boom sheave 24 in any position of the boom. To allow sufficient clearance over the edge of the roller platform, the sheave 44 should be able to direct the cable 25 substantially vertically downwardly approximately parallel with its vertical reach extendin upwardly from the bull wheel.

Pivotally mounted on the outer ends of the shaft 43 is a rigid block connector link or arm 55 attached at its outer end by a connector pin 51 to the boom suspension block 28. An important function of the link 50 is to keep the carrier 45 always turned in the direction of the boom. It will be apparent that unequal tension in the outer cables 25 and 21 will tend to produce a turning moment in the fair-lead carrier depending upon the difference in tension in the two cables and the spacing of their sheaves from the axis of rotation of the carrier. In the operation 'of a drag line scraper alternate tension and slack in the cables 25 and 2'! tend to swing the carrier from side to side, and such action would occur if there were no means to prevent it. However, if

the link 50 is made relatively long in comparison ing of the scraper and haul-back cables.

It will be observed that as the carrier 40 is deflected away from the direction of the boom, the

efi'ctive length or the lever arm or cable 25 for instance,- with respect to the axisof rotation varies as the cosine of the angle of deflection, whereas the effective length of the lever arm of the link 50 about the axis of rotation varies as the sine of the angle of deflection. Therefore,

after a relatively small deflection the lever armof the link as is equal to the lever armof the sheave 4'5, and for a larger deflection the lever arm of the links reatlyexceeds the lever arm of the sheave. t

This is illustrated in Figure 7, wherein the link 50- is represented by the line 50 directed toward the boom, the points 2'5, 2'6 and 21 indicating the relative spacing of the cables in the sheaves in plan View and the point 5! representing the pin 5| in the end of the links. If the fairlead is now assumed tobe deflected through an angle by a difference in tension'in the cables and 21 so as to move the various elements to the new positions indicated by primed reference numer als, the horizontal component of the resulting unbalanced force may be represented by the force vector 25" having a lever arm equal to the distance 53' which remains substantially constant for small angles. Such a deflection of the carrier, however, would move the pin connector 5| to the new position 5i where the lever arm of the link in the position has increased to the length indicated at 52 which is greater than the lever arm 53 of the cable. With even this small amount of deflection in the fair-lead carrier, the force 28", representing the horizontal component of the tension in the block 28, would be able to balance a considerablysuperior force 25" to keep the fair-lead always turned approximately in the direction of the boom to handle the cables Without excessive rubbing against the sheaves. The effectiveness of the restoring force may be increased as desired by merely lengthening the link 59. The tension in cable 26 also exerts a restoring force to prevent deflection of the fairlead since the cable wraps over the top of its sheave; but the lever arm is; so shortthis vector is disregarded.

Reference is made to my copending applications 'for a complete disclosure of the present crane structure, this application being concerned only with the masthead fair-lead and boom suspension blocks associated therewith. It is pointed out, however, that the features of novelty in the fair-lead arise through special requirements inherent in the crane construction and rigging. One of these requirements is to resist the overturning moment on the boom. Inth-e present crane the bull wheel takes only theboom thrust, the overturning moment being resisted by the mast, through the fair-lead, entirely independently of the bull wheel which then need not be designed to withstand such forces. To accomplish this purpose the mast is mounted directly on the tractor frame through the rigid arms [4 on the mounting bracket, in non-rotating relation to theboom'. The cable drums "or sheaves in the mist unit being also mounted on, fixed axes, the fair-lead must satisfy the further requirement of receiving a pluralityof cablesin a vertical di rection approximately on the fair-lead axis and disposing of thes'e'cables in the direction of the boom withoutinterference with each other or parts of the structure and without excessive rubbing on the sheaves. When the crane is rigged with a draglinescrap'enthe fair-lead must be iurther capable of directing the scraper line nearly vertically downwardly through the-base of the boom.- At all times, and particuiarly in scraper operation, the fair' lead must be capable of resisting turning moments from eccentric loading which would twist the sheave grooves out of alignment with the cables going to the boom. The present fair-lead fulfills these requirements so as to utilize to the fullest extent the numerous features and advantages of the crane referred to hereinabove and in the cope'nding applications.

The purpose of the guide 3! is to keep the cable 27 from falling" below the block 29 and getting caught thereunder; This feature,- also, is particularly importantin scraper operation when the line 27 is slaoked to throw the scraper beyond the length of the boom.

To rig the crane for hoisting instead of drag-- line scraper operation, the line 25 is removed from the fair-lead, and the line'- 27 is used as the hoist line. When there is no tension in the hoist line, the only forces acting on the masthead fair lead are from the tensions in cable 26 and block 28, both of which act in a line through the axisof rotation of the fair le'ad. When the hoist line 21 is tensioned, the fair-lead carrier is subjected to a turning moment which will produce a small deflection sufficient to establish an opposite balancing moment through the link at in the manner illustrated in Figure 7. The fair-lead. sheaves are designed to handle the cablessatis factorily under a small deflection such as occursin normal operation, and if it is desired to reduce the deflection for a given load a longer li-nk 5'9 may be employed.

In-the present crane construction, the position of the mast with respect to the bull wheel allows the boom to swing through a horizontal angle of approximately 240 degrees, the backstay struts 22 being effective in compression to hold the mast rigid at the limits of the swing. The fair-lead carrier 40 follows the boom in all its movements, twisting the three cables as shown in- Fi-gure 1 without bringing them into contact with each other or interfering with their spool-ing on the winch drums in the hoist unit. The fair-lead itself, however, is capable of considerably more than 2&0 degrees rotation and no limitation thereon is intended by reference to a particular angle of boom swing.

Figures 8 to 12 illustrate a modified and preferred' form of masthead fair-lead construction in which the rotatable sheave carrier is mounted in a single bearing on the mast-head. The top pivot 4i and bearing 36 in Figure 6- are' eliminated, In Figure 8 the sheave carrier housing iilflis mounted in the single heavy bearing 162 which is welded into the masthead platform base NH. The platform is braced to the two mast legs 2t by brackets 99. Bearing I02 has a bottom thrust flange I03 defining a circular cable opening I0 3 for the three cables 25, 2'0 and 27'.

The carrier Hill has a circular base roe equipped with a journal portion l'il'e rotatably mounted and seated in the bearing 102, the latter preferably being lined witha bottom washer H11, a bushing [08 and a split top washer we. The parts are secured in assembled relation by a split bearing plate H0 which is secured to the bearing lil-2'by cap screws I l I Shims H2 provide adjustment to compensate for wear in the thrust washers 1 ill and H39. As best illustrated in Figure 9, downward thrust on the carrier loll is resistedby thrust flange I03 and washer NW bearing against the bottom end Surface of journal portion was,

Y and upward thrust isr'esisted bybearingplate I It and washer 109 acting against a top shoulder H3 7 on the journal portion I06. A sufficient number of cap screws III are employed to form an adequately strong cantilever bearing, so that no upper pivot is required for the carrier.

An important feature of the bearing illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 is that its greatest dimension is perpendicular to the axis of rotation whereby the moment in the bearing, which is the principal load on the present bearing, is resisted by flat thrust washers of large area instead of the cylindrical bearing surface as is customary. The cylindrical bushing I08 assumes only the horizontal sheer loads, which are less severe. Thus the principal wear occurs upon the flat thrust washers I01 and I09 which are relatively inexpensive to make and easy to replace. Furthermore, before these washers I01 and I09 are worn sufiiciently to require replacement, adjustment for wear is readily effected by removal of the shims II2, one by one, as the wear occurs. In conventional bearings where the principal wear occurs upon the cylindrical surface, the only available remedy is to provide replaceable bushings; it is not possible to make provision for gradual takeup by the removal of shims or other means of small adjustment.

The carrier base I05 has an intermediate neck portion of reduced diameter containing a plurality of annular grooves I I facing the edge surfaces of the washer I09 and bearing plate IIO. The grooves IIB constitute a grease labyrinth to keep rain water from getting into the bearing and to hold a reserve supply of lubricant for the bearing. This detail is not shown in the general view of Figure 8 but will be seen in the enlarged view of Figure 9.

The carrier base I is apertured to provide an elongated cable opening II4, and the thrust flange I03 of bearing I02 may be equipped with eyes II5 for lifting or supporting various equipment from the masthead.

The three sheaves 44, 45 and 46 are mounted on a common horizontal shaft I20 in the carrier I00 substantially as illustrated in the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, the dimensions and proportions of the parts being such that the upper end of the vertical reach of the middle cable 26 is disposed on the vertical axis of rotation of the carrier I00, and also in the vertical plane through the crane boom. Cables 25 and 21 must, obviously, engage their respective sheaves at a distance on opposit sides of the vertical plane through the boom, whereby any working conditions producing unequal tension in these two cables, or eliminating one of them, will produce eccentric loading on the sheave carrier tending to rotate the carrier sheaves away from the proper direction of lead for the cables going to the boom, as previously explained in connection with Figure 7.

To prevent excessive lateral deflection of the carrier I00 an elongated link I2I is connected with the carrier to exert a superior turning moment on the carrier, as in the case of link 50 in Figure 1, holding the carrier always turned in the direction of the boom. Link I2I has two parallel arms pivotally mounted on shaft I20 and rigidly connected together by cross member H9, the same as link 50, to hold the shaft perpendicular to the link, so that when the link is turned by the swinging of the boom, the shaft I20 is maintained perpendicular to the vertical plane through the boom. The parallel reaches of the boom suspension link 30 in Figure 1 lie on opposite sides of this vertical plane,-and the reaches of cables 25 and 21 extending from the masthead fair-lead to the boom depart from this plane only to the extent that the centers of the grooves in sheaves 44 and 46 are spaced from the groove in the central sheave 45. The link I2I is stiffened laterally by suitable struts and web or flange plates to prevent lateral bending, whereby the length of the link from the shaft I20 to the lower block connector pin 5| is effective as a long lever arm to exert a restoring torque on the fair-lead carrier as represented by the line 50' in Figure '7.

In this embodiment the link I2I is retained on the shaft by pairs of keepers I22, illustrated in Figure 12, which engage annular grooves I23 in the shaft. The keepers I22 are secured to the link I2I by cap screws I24.

The lower pulley block 28, at pin 5 I, is equipped with a cable guide 3I for the cable 21 in the same manner that the upper block 29 was so equipped in the embodiment shown in Figure 1. In Figure 8 the cable 26 has been broken away to show the lower block sheaves I30. The upper pulley block 29 is not shown, it being understood that the cable 26 is reeved back and forth between the lower and upper blocks 28 and 29, as illustrated in Figure 3, having its end anchored in one of the blocks depending upon the number of sheaves in the blocks.

In ordinary hoisting work, the cable 25 is not used, and the hoisting tension in cable 2'1 produces a deflecting torque on the sheave carrier which is resisted by the tension on link I2I exerted by the boom suspension link 30 in Figure 3 acting through the cable 26. In dragline scraper work, the cables 25 and 21 are tensioned alternately in pulling the scraper in and hauling it back, tending to deflect the carrier I00, first in one direction and then the other, away from its proper direction of lead in the vertical plane of the boom. The link I2I prevents the carrier from oscillating from side to side and keeps the sheaves 44, 45 and 40 parallel with the vertical plane through the boom, so that the cables will not rub unnecessarily on the flanges of the sheaves.

The present fair-lead is used not only with a crane boom for crane and dragline scraper work, but also with shovel booms and back hoe booms. In the use of back hoe equipment the blocks 28 and 29 are not necessary, and then cable 20 runs from the masthead fair-lead to and around a sheave on the upper end of the dipper stick and then back to an anchor point at the outer end of link 50 in Figure 1, or link I2I in Figure 8. With such equipment the boom moves up and down constantly and the link 50 or S2I follows it, illustrating the need for a free bearing for the link on shaft 43 or I20 of the fair-lead.

Having now described my invention and in what manner the same may be used, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent 1. A masthead fair-lead construction for boom suspension and hoisting cables comprising a roller platform having an opening for the passage of cables therethrough, a plurality of rollers arranged in a circle around said opening, a masthead bearing spaced above said platform on the axis of said circle, a sheave carrier journaled in said rollers and said bearing, a plurality of sheaves mounted substantially side by side on a common shaft in said carrier for receiving boom suspension and hoisting cables through said opening whereby at least one of said cables is spaced from said axis, said sheaves leading said cables in a common direction toward the boom, and a connector link on said carrier having means for connection with said boom suspension cable to counteract eccentric loading of said sheaves about said axis and turn said carrier in said common direction of said cables.

2. In a crane structure and the like having a mast and a boom; a supporting base mounted on the mast having a cable opening and bearing means, a masthead fair-lead disposed above said cable opening, said fair-lead comprising a housing rotatably mounted in said bearing means for rotation about a turning axis in said bearing means passing through said cable opening, a horizontal shaft in said housing, a sheave on said shaft adapted to guide a boom suspension cable in alignment with said turning axis, additional sheaves on said shaft adapted to guide additional cables through said cable opening adjacent said boom suspension cable, whereby said additional cables impose a turning moment on said housing about said axis, and an arm on said housing adapted to be tensionedby said boom suspension cable to turn the fair-lead in the direction of the boom.

3. A masthead fair-lead as defined in claim 2 wherein said supporting base comprises a plat- 10 form projecting horizontally from one side of the head of the mast whereby said cable opening and turning axis of the fair-lead housing are disposed at said one side of the mast.

4. A masthead fair-lead as defined in claim 2 in which said additional sheaves comprise a hoisting cable sheave on one side of said first sheave and another sheave on the opposite side of said first sheave, all of said sheaves being adapted to guide their respective cables in approximately parallel relation through said cable opening.

5. A masthead fair-lead as defined in claim 2, said bearing means comprising a plurality of rollers arranged in a circle on said supporting base, and said housing being mounted for rotation in said plurality of rollers.

ROBERT C. SHOEMAKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 810,691 Allen Jan. 23, 1906 978,202 Prescott Dec. 13, 1910 1,628,972 Hansen May 17, 1927 1,856,907 Chapman May 3, 1932 2,223,863 Wunsch Dec. 3, 1940 2,264,569 Holmes Dec. 2, 1941 2,595,897 Shoemaker May 6, 1952 

